Method of reproducing pictures and designs



Dec. 9.. 1924.

1,518,863 A. H. LUTZ ET AL METHOD OF REPRODUCING PICTURES AND DESIGNS Filed Aug. 2, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

7 for: c/igwE/i Lit k Gear all ban Q 4% 1,518,863 A. H. LUTZ ET AL METHOD OF REPRODUCING PICTURES AND DESIGNS Filed Aug. 2, 1925 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,518,863 PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST H. LUTZ, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AND GEORGE J. RICHARDSON, 0F

PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.

METHOD OF REPRODUCING PICTURES AND DESIGNS.

Application filed August 2, 1923. Serial No. 655,355.

T 0 (ZZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, AUGUST H. LUTZ and GEORGE J. RICHARDSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore, Baltimore C'ountyfand Petersburg, Dinwiddie County, Virginia, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of It'eproducingP'lctures and Designs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a method of reproducing pictures and designs and more particularly to the steps in making and utilizing the stencils employed.

It isold in the art to produce on a screen or the like a picture or design, and block out portions to form a stencil, apply the same to a board or card and work in colors, Wash out the color from the screen and subsequently block out further portions of the picture on the design and work in a further color, etc., and thereby build up a multicolor picture. In practicing these methods shellac or the like has been employedas the blocking out medium on the screen to form the desired stencil outline for the application of the various colors, while'inother in stances other materials have been used. These methods are slow and tedious, as the chemicals necessary to act on the shellac or the mechanical means employed in some of the other processes require so much time as to make the processes impractical for quick and efficient service. Furthermore, when using these processes the shellac or the like invariably follows the course of the material from which the screen is made, which makes it practically impossible to produce pictures or designs where fine clean cut lines are essential.

According to our invention we have discovered a process which successfully overcomes the foregoing objectional features, and enables us to materially reduce the time necessary in producing a design or picture and also enables us to produce designs and pictures with fine clean cut lines.

An object of our invention is to produce a stencil and paste it permanently on a screen and block it out with gummed paper and work in the successive colors thru the top of the screen after each successive blocking out operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a step in the make up of the stencil which will insure of the stencil material being stretched to prevent it buckling while being cut and while being transferred from its base to the screen.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved ste in the art of making pictures and designs, consisting in stretching a. sheet of paper over a heated plate provided with an adhesive which melts under heat and hardens under low temperature and which causes the paper to adhere to the plate, then cutting a stencil, and thereafter glueing the stencil while on the plate to the screen and subjecting same to heat to melt the adhesive to cause separation of the stencil from the plate.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a step in the process of making pictures and de 'gns which permits of the blocking out by the use of gummed paper on one side of a screen, and the application of color on the opposite side of the screen to insure of clean cut fine lines in the pictures being produced.

In addition to the foregoing, the invention consists of other objects and advantages which will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the plate on which the stencil is formed.

' Figure 2 is a perspective View of a sheet of gummed paper from which the stencil is formed.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the gummed paper applied to the plate.

Figure 4 is a view of the'stencil.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a screen and frame. g

Figure 6 is a section of the screen, stencil and plate.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the screen with the stencil attached thereto.

Figure 8 is a view showing the first block out of the stencil.

Figures 9 and 9 are views of the press employed in carrying out the process.

Figure 10 is a view of the card on which the picture is to be stencilled. v

Figure '11 is a view of the car after the application of the first color.

Figure 12 is a similar view ofthe card after the application of the second color.

Figure 13 is a similar view of the card after the application of the third color.

Figure 1 4: is a similar view of the card after the application of the fourth color.

1 indicates a metal plate and 2 a sheet of paper, the latter being gummed on one side as indicated at 3. The metal plate is first placed in an oven and heated to or about 140 F., and is withdrawn and wax indicated at a, is placed on the top surface, the heat melting the wax, when of course it is evenly spread out. The sheet of gummed paper is laid over the waxed surface, with the glued side up, and is rubbed vigorously to rub' out wrinkles and air bubbles, and as thewvax cools it causes the paper to adhere tightly to the metal.

After the wax sets, the paper snugly fits the metal and forms a smooth surface covered on its outer surface with a coating of hardened glue. I g

A tracing of the design to be reproduced is laid down on the surface of the paper 2, and traced thereon, and then the design is cut out to form a stencil, as shown in Figure 4. In cutting the stencil a knife is employed, the film or coating of wax t between the paper and plate affording a convenient and efficient cushion in the cutting operation. 1

5 indicates a frame having a piece of silk 6 of fine quality tightly stretched over it, as. shown in Figure 5. The glued surface of the stencil on the plate is moistened with water, and then the frame with the silk is laid on the stencil as shown in Figure 6 and pressed together, and put aside to allow the glue to set. After the glue dries, the frame with the stencil and plate are inserted in an oven and subjected to a temperature of substantially 1 LO F., the heat melting the wax between the stencil and the plate and separates the two. WVhen the frame, stencil and plate are withdrawn from the oven, the stencil has been transferred from the plate to the silk screen as shown in Figure 7 the plate of course being removed from the stencil before the wax cools. When the frame has been withdrawn from the oven with the stencil attached thereto, the stencil is washed over with turpentine to remove excess Wax.

The stencil now having been transferred to the silk screen, strips of gummed paper are used to block out such portions of the stencil as found desirable, to leave the necessary openings to receive the first color.

The stencil on the screen being now blocked out, as shown (in Figure 8, the frame is inserted in a press shown in Figure 9. The press comprises a table 9, from which extends a pair of inclined spaced apart guide rails 10 and 11. Projecting from the frame 5 are two bars 12, provided with a pair of shafts 13, having rollers 14 at opposite ends. The rollers on the end shaft travelling in the space between the rails 10 and 11, and the rollers on foremost shaft travelling on the upper rail, a cable 15, is connected to the frame 5, and passes over a pulley 16, and to .the end of the cable is attached a weight 17. On the ends of the frame 5 are dowel pins 18, which fit and lock in sockets 119 on the table 9, to hold the frame in relation to the table while applying the colors.

The stencil having been applied to the frame and blocked out as heretofore pointed out, it is placed in the press and is ready to receive the first color. The operator places a plate or card 20 against gauges 21 on the table 9, and then pulls the frame 12 forward and downwardly until the dowel pins register in the opening 19, as shown in Fig. 9. 'Then a dab of thick paint is thrown on the upper surface of the screen and preferably by means of a squeegee the paint is forced thru the screen and stencil and onto the card or plate. At this time it is to absolutely no obstructions on the surface of the silk screen where thepaint is applied, hence the fine mesh is lined on the card by the defining edges of thestencil. portant, as it removes any possibility of the mesh forming a ragged line. The sharp edges of the paper stencil lying flat on the card insures of the lines being clear, well defined and sharp.

The color having been applied, the frame is lifted and forced back to normal position, the card is removed to dry the paint and the paint is washed off the screen, and the stencil is blocked for the application of the next color.

For a design such as shown in the drawing the card is colored a light blue and four colors are subsequently used for the purpose of illustration, but obviously more or less colors can be employed if desired.

The successive steps in producing the design will now be described. As previously stated the card 20 is shown as painted light blue, as indicated in Figure 10. The first color applied in the previously described operation, is blue, which because of the blocked out portions of the stencil appears on the card, as shown in Figure 11, the color 25 indicating the mountains and scenery in the distance. The stencil is again blocked with strips of glued paper to affordthe requisite open spaces for the next succeeding color, and then the same operation previously described, in connection with the press is carried out. The second blocking out of the stencil produces on the card the color green shown at 26 and indicated in Figure 12.

The stencil is again blocked out with strips of gummed paper to form openings for the next color, which in the instance be noted that there is' the color when forced thru This is im-- shown will be yellow,'indicated at 27, in Figure 13.

The yellow color having been applied, the :Lencil is again blocked with gummed paper to form the necessary openings for the passage ofthe last color red, indicated at 28 in Figure 14, whi h completes the reproduction of the desired picture.

In the illustration iven, the stencil is described as being 0100 red to permit passage of the paint thru only such openings as will be required to designate particular things on the picture, hence the margin lines of the colors ma be made to exactly match, overlap slight y or spaced to define a slight outline of the background color, which as illustrated is light blue. This being entirely optional with the artist in making up his picture. Of course the stencil can be blocked so that subsequent colors applied can be Worked over preceding colors in multi-color form, but this too is optional with the artist.

While it is preferable to employ but one screen and stencil in carrying out the process, it is to be understood that this is in no way essential. One, two or more screens having the necessary stencils blocked out can be employed in the make up of a picture or design, the invention in the present instance being directed more particularly to the method of making and blocking out of the stencil, rather than to its specific application in the production of the picture.

From the foregoing description it will. be seen that in carrying out our improved method, the stencil is stretched and held in stretched relation with a fixed base to afford convenience in cutting, and yet it can be quickly and readily separated from the base and transferred to the silk screen Without liability of disturbing its registry, or causing it to wrinkle when transferred. Particular attention is invited to the fact that by employing the gummed paper for stencil purposes, the stencil is glued to the screen before it is removed from the plate, thereby avoiding any possibility of the paper wrinkling or breaking and destroying the sharp lines of the cut stencil.

Emphasis is also placed on the fact that by the use of gummed paper for blocking out purposes, it can be placed on one side of the stretched silk which leaves the other side unobstructed and smooth for the operation of the squeegee and the ready passage of the paint thru the mesh and subsequently thru the openings in the stencil.

The method permits of quick reproduction of pictures requiring sharp Well defined lines, is inexpensive, and by blocking out the stencil on the opposite side of the screen from which the paint is applied, with gummed paper, the screen is dpreserved and asharp color outline is insure the paper over the plate, then cutting a'stencil in the paper while on the plate, and subseiquently removing the stencil from the p ate.

3. A method of producing stencils Which comprises heating a plate, coating the plate with a substance which is melted by the heat in the plate, placing a sheet of paper over the coated surface of the plate and rubbing it smooth until the coating cools and holds the paper on the plate, then cutting a stencil in the paper while on the plate, and afterwards heating the stencil and plate to cause the coating to melt to separate the stencil from the plate.

4'. A method of producing stencils which comprises coating a plate with wax and covermg the wax with paper, cutting a stencil in the paper when the Wax is cooled and thereafter heating the plate and stencil to melt the Wax to cause the stencil and plate to separate.

5. A method of producing stencils which comprises making a flexible stencil on a base, glueing the stencil While on the base to a screen and permitting the glue to set to cause adherence of the stencil and base to the screen and thereafter separating the base from the stencil.

6. A method of producing stencils which comprises making a flexible stencil onabase, glueing the stencil while on the base to a screen and permitting the glue to set to cause adherence of the stencil and base to the screen and thereafter subjecting the screen, stencil and base to heat to cause separation of the stencil from the base.

7. A method of producing stencils which comprises coating a metal plate with a substance which melts under the influence of heat and which upon cooling will act as an adhesive, placing a sheet of paper over the heated coated surface of the plate, and permitting the substance to cool, cutting a stencil in the paper While on the plate, glueing the stencil to a screen, and thereafter separating the stencil from the plate, and leaving said stencil permanently attached to the screen.

8. A method of producing stencils which comprises heating a plate, coating the plate with a substance which melts under the influence of the heat in the plate, covering thecoated surface of the plate with a sheet of aper which adheres to the plate when coo ed," cutting a stencil in the paper While on the late, glueing the aper and plate to a stre'tc ed screen, therea ter subjecting'the screen, stencil and plate to heat to melt the coating and separate the stencil from the plate, and then blocking out the stencil by adhesive paper applied to the stencil while on the screen.

9. A method of producing stencils which comprises adhesively securing a sheet of gummed paper to a plate with the gummed side out, cutting a stencil in the gummed paper, moistening the gummed surface of the stencil and applying it to a. screen while attached to the plate, and thereafter removing the plate from the stencil in the absence of moisture.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures.

AUGUST H. L'VUTZ. GEORGE J. RICHARDSON. 

